Gun baseball game



NOV- Z1, 1961 H BARBER ETAL 3,009,452

GUN BASEBALL GAME Filed Jan. 13, 1958 I f t fr n I Ik im M, ff

lIIHI l f {g Y 35 INVENTORS Patented Nov. 21, 1961 3,009,452 GUNBASEBALL GAME Herbert L. Barber, Woodland Hills, Calif. (507 IrvingDrive, Thousand (laks, Calif.); George F. Russell, 13144 Huston St.,Sherman Oaks, Calif.; and Daniel H. iRussell, 4142 Mary Ellen Ave.,North Hollywood, Ca if.

Filed Jan. 13, 1958, Ser. No. 703,435 3 Claims. (Cl. 124-27) Thisinvention relates to a gun baseball game and to an actuator or gun-likepitching device employed in the same.

Many toys and games are designed so as to utilize certain basic featuresor principles involved in adult equipment or games. This is becausechildren generally desire to imitate various adult things or pastimes intheir play. Thus, for example, toy pianos which are essentiallyimitations of adult pianos find very wide sale.

A basic object of the present invention is to provide a new type ofbaseball game which may be played by several children and which isdesigned so as` to reproduce the essentials of play involved in aconventional baseball game. A further object of this invention is toprovide a baseball game which may be easily and convenientlymanufactured at a comparatively nominal cost and which effectivelysimulates the features of the adult game of baseball. Another object ofthis invention is to provide a toy baseball game in which a pitchingdevice of a socalled gun variety is used so as to simulate the action ofan actual pitcher in a real game of baseball. An object `of thisinvention is also to provide a new and improved spring loaded toy guntype of structure which may be used as an actuator so as to project asmall ball or similar projectile with varying amounts of force.

Because of the nature of this invention, it is not considered necessaryto set forth in this specification a further long list of variousobjects and advantages of it. Such other objects and advantages of theinvention itself will be fully apparent to those skilled in the art towhich the invention pertains from a detailed examination of theremainder of this description including the appended claims and theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View lof a complete toy baseball game of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken at line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the gun-like actuato-r employed as apitching device with this game; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken at line 5--5 of FIG. 4 ofthedrawing.

In all figures of the drawing like numerals are used to designate likeparts wherever convenient for purposes of illustration and explanation.'It is to be understood that this invention is not to be taken as beinglimited by the accompanying drawing inasmuch as a number of differentstructures may be readily designed and built which operate utilizing theprinciples or features herein explained and described.

As an aid to understandin-g this invention it may be stated that itconcerns toy baseball games which involve a horizontal surface which isbuilt so as to simulate a conventional baseball diamond having a homeplate and foul lines extending therefrom. Around the periphery, surfacewalls are placed which simulate the conventional walls or fencesextending around a baseball park. Adjacent to these walls in the portionof the surface corresponding to right and left fields of the baseballdiamond various pockets are located which are adapted to receive abaseball during the use of this game so as to indicate the extent ofvarious hits. Further, within the portion of the surface representingthe in-eld of the baseball diamond, means are located which are adapted`to simulate a fielder in a conventional baseball game and which aredesigned so as to engage and hold a projectile simulating a baseball.Upon the portion of the surface immediately adjacent to the home platemeans corresponding to batters boxes are provided and a small simulatedbatter is rotatably mounted so that as a projectile simulating abaseball is pitched toward home plate from the periphery of the surfacecorresponding to center field, this batter may be rotated in order tostrike this projectile in order to drive it in much the manner in whicha conventional baseball is hit. The periphery yof the surfaceimmediately in back of home plate is preferably provided with a swingingback stop which is designed to stop the motion of such a projectile inthe event that it is not hit by the simulated batter and with aplurality of pockets which are designed to hold such a projectile inorder to indicate whether a strike or a ball has been pitched. In usingthe apparatus of the present invention a projectile simulating abaseball is propelled toward home plate by means of a gun-like actuatoror pitching device which is formed in such a manner that an amount offorce used to propel this projectile may be varied as desired. Further,this gun-like actuator may be moved to any of several positions asdesired in order to effectively simulate the manner in which aconventional baseball pitcher may vary his delivery of a baseball.

In order to understand this invention more fully it is considerednecessary to refer directly to the accompanying drawing where there isshown a complete gun baseball game 10 of the present invention. Thisgame is built about a flat horizontal surface 12 such as, for example,the top of a table or the like. If desired, the surface 12 may besupported upon various types of legs, etc. (not shown) or the game 10may be designed so as to be placed upon the top of -a conventional cardtable or the like. The surface 12 itself is formed by printing orsimilar techniques so as to effectively simulate the appearance of aconventional baseball field having a home plate 14, a first base 16, asecond base 18, a third base 20, foul lines 22 extending from along thefirst and third bases and a batters box 24. Also this surface 12preferably includes a pitchers box 26, and an `in-field 28 and a rightand a left field 30 and 32 respectively.

Walls 34 -are mounted on the outside edges of the surface 12. Thesewalls 34 are designed so -as to effectively simulate the wallssurrounding a conventional baseball park. Thus, for example, they may beprinted or otherwise covered with various indicia indicating terms asdugouts, bleachers, etc. vIf desired, these walls 34 may be pivotallymounted upon the surface 12 so as to facilitate storage of the game 10.At the end of the surface 12 corresponding to the portion of the surfaceindicating a center field 36, a small connecting wall 38 is carriedbetween two of the walls 34. This wall 38 may also be pivotally mountedand printed so as -to simulate a part of a baseball park as desired. Inthe bottom of the wall 38 there is provided an elongated slot 40 whichis adapted to receive a portion of a gun-like actuator 42.

The actuator 42 is designed so as to simulate a pitching device and tobe used in propelling a projectile such as a small ball 44 formed so asto simulate a baseball as indicated in FIG. 4 of the drawing. Preferablythe actuator is formed out of two substantially bilaterally symmetricalsections 46 which are adapted to be fitted together through the use ofan adhesive o-r the like so as to define various passages, barrels,etc., as hereinafter indicated. If desired, these sections 46 may beconveniently formed by known injection molding techniques out of styreneor other equivalent materials at a very nominal cost.

Within the actuator 42 the sections 46 define what may be considered abarrel 48 into which the ball 44 is adapted to be placed. Forconvenience of inserting the ball 44 the walls of this barrel 48 may besloped slightly from an open end 50 of it toward a small retaining ridge52. The interior of the barrel itself terminates at the ridge 52; thisridge 52 is adapted to limit the motion of a ball, such as the ball 44toward the interior of the actuator. This ridge 52, thus marks thedividing line Within the actuator 42 between the barrel 48 and anenlarged bore 54 which in effect constitutes an extension of the barrel48.

From the end of the bore 54 remote from the barrel 48 there extendsthrough the actuator 42 a passage 56 of smaller dimension than the bore54. This passage is intersected intermediate to its length by means ofan enlarged slot 58 which is in communication with a retaining cavity 60through a comparatively small passage 62. This passage 62 and the slot5S are aligned with an opening 64 leading from an end of the retainingcavity 60 to the top of the actuator 42. As indicated in FIG. 4 of thedrawing the retaining cavity 60 extends along the length of the bore 54and opens into the barrel 48 immediately adjacent to where this barreland the bore 54 are connected. Those skilled in the art will realizethat the walls of the parts 54, 56, S8, 60, 62 and 64 are all defined bythe sections 46 when these sections are secured together.

A plunger 66 having a shank 68 extending therefrom and an enlarged head70 formed thereon is located so that this head 70 is free to slidewithin the bore 54 and so that the shank 68 is free to slide within thepassage 56. A coil spring 72 located so as to resiliently bear againstthis head 70 and against the end of the bore 54 surrounding the passage56, is used so as to propel a ball, such as the ball 44, from theposition indicated in FIG. 4 of the drawing out of the barrel 48.

In the actuator 42 a small handle 74 attached to the shank 68 projectsthrough a slot 76 within one of the sections 46. In using the actuator42 this handle 74 is pulled so as to increase the compression on thespring 72. As this occurs an edge 78 on a frame-like latch member 80 ispropelled toward the top of the actuator 42 by means of a coil spring 82so as to latch within any one of several notches 84 formed in the shank68. From a consideration of the drawing it may be realized that thislatch member 80 is located so as to be capable of sliding with the slot58 and that the shank 68 extends through the center of this latch member80. The spring 82 is located in a small retaining passage 86 defined bythe sections 46 so as to normally bear against the latch member 80 andurge it toward the top of the actuator 42 so as to lock the plunger 66in a cocked position.

From the latch member 80 there extends a shaft 88 carrying an enlargedhead 90; this shaft 88 extends through the passage 62 and an end of theretaining cavity 60. The head 90 terminates generally within thisretaining cavity 60 and extends through the opening 64 to the top of theactuator 42. By pushing upon this head 90 the latch member 80 can becaused to move away from the shank 68 releasing the plunger 66 so thatthe spring 72 will cause the head 70 of this plunger to hit against aball, such as the ball 44, driving this ball from the barrel 48.

In order to retain a ball, such as the ball 44, within the barrel 48after the actuator 42 has been cocked by moving the handle 74 asindicated, a small retaining lever 92 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 94extending through the retaining cavity 60. This retaining lever isprovided with a curved end 96 which is adapted to fit against a ball,such as the ball 44, when the actuator 42 is in such a cocked position.It is also provided with a bifurcated end 98 fitting around the shaft 88between the head 90 on the shaft and a small pin 100 extending throughit.

With this type of construction whenever the actuator 42 is cocked theretaining lever 92 is in the position shown in FIG. 4. When the head ispushed so as to shoot a ball, such as the ball 44, from the actuator 42before the shank 68 on the plunger is released the small amount ofmotion tending to release this shank first serves to rotate theretaining lever 92 to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 4 of thedrawing so that a ball, such as the ball 44, is free to travel from thisactuator. Movement of the latch member 80 to a cocked positionautomaticallyl returns the retaining lever 92 to the position shown.

An important feature of the present invention lies in the fact that aplurality of notches 84 are located within the shank 68 so that thehandle 74 may be pulled against the pressure of the spring 72 to varyingextents. Thus, the plunger 66 may be latched in position with the spring72 under varying degrees of compression. Depending upon the extent towhich the spring 72 is compressed, a ball, such as the ball 44, will beprojected from the actuator 42 with varying amounts of force.

Thus, a child using the game 10 may employ the actuator 42 so as topitch balls, such as the ball 44, at varying rates of speedcorresponding to fast and slow balls delivered by a pitcher in aconventional baseball game. Since the position of the actuator 42 may beadjusted within the confines of the slot 40 at various angles, etc., achild or other individual holding this actuator 42 can effectivelysimulate ball pitching styles such as are employed by pitchers in thereal game of baseball.

During the use of the game 10 when a ball, such as the lball 44 ispropelled from the actuator 42 this ball is normally directed over homeplate 14. As the ball moves another individual playing the game 10 canrotate a shaft 102 so as to cause an attached simulated batter 104 tohit this ball in various directions, corresponding to differentpositions with respect to the `baseball playing iield reproduced on thesurface 12. It is noted that the batter 104 carries a conventionalappearing bat 10S ot circular cross-sectional configuration. lf desiredthe batter 104 may be formed so that bats of different sizes and shapesmay be substituted for one another. As a ball or projectile, such as theball 44, is hit by the simulated batter 104 this ball may impingeagainst certain of the walls 34 and go into any of a series of pockets106 designating diierent types -of hits corresponding to the hits in aconventional baseball. Also as a ball or projectile, such as the ball44, which is hit may go into any of a series of catching means 108 whichare adapted to simulate players in the conventional game of baseball andwhich may vbe used to indicate outs Such catching means may be formed asessentially spring-like steel clips attached to the surface 12 so as tohave resilient upper walls 110 which are adapted to clamp against aball, such as the ball 44, propelled into them as indicated in FIG. 3 ofthe drawings. The interiors of these walls of these catching means 108are preferably provided with a sand paper or other similar coating inorder to aid in holding balls. Preferably the catching means 108 allface home plate 14. Similar clips 114 arc located along the `foul linespassing first base 16 and third base 20 so as to indicate that foulballs have been hit.

In the event that the simulated batter 104 operated by a player of thegame 10 fails to hit a ball pitched by the actuator 42 the ball impingesagainst a rotatably mounted backdrop 116 which stops the motion of thisball and dellects it into any one of a series of pockets 118 whichindicate that either a strike or a ball has been pitched through the useof the actuator 42 If desired, the backdrop 116 may be painted so as tosimulate a catcher. As indicated in the drawing it is mounted upon twoof the walls 34.

Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains Will realizethat the complete game 10 may be modied in a number of diterent wayswithout changing the manner in which this game operates. They willfurther realize that the actuator or pitching `device may =be termed agun, and that this gun or actuator may be employed for a wide variety ofdiierent purposes and that various details of its construction may bealtered without changing the manner in which it operates. For thesereasons the present invention is to be considered as being limited onlyby the appended claims forming a part of this disclosure.

We claim:

1. A device for shooting projectiles which includes: a barrel having abore formed therein leading from one end of said barrel, said barrelbeing formed so as to enclose said bore except at said end whereby aprojectile may ibe introduced into said bore only through said end;plunger means movably mounted within said bore remote from said end;spring means for moving7 said plunger means toward said end of saidbore; latch means for holding said plunger means away from said end ofsaid bore, said latch means extending to the exterior o-f said barrel;separate projectile retainer means extending into said barrelintermediate said plunger means and said end and being engaged by saidlatch means, said retainer means being positioned by movement of saidlatch means so as to hold a projectile within said bore remote from saidend when said plunger means is held with said spring means undercompression by said latch means and being capable of moving out of saidb-ore so as to simul- Land wherein said retaining lever means extend-sinto said bore so as -to hold said ball against said shoulder means whensaid plunger means is held by said latch means.

3. A device as dened in claim l wherein said retainer means comprises alever pivotally mounted on said device, one end of said lever projectinginto said bore, the other end of said lever being engaged by said latchmeans.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 299,436Stockman May 27, 1884 472,608 Rand Apr. l2, 1892 937,078 Laundermilch etal. Oct. 19, 1909 2,462,526 McNair Feb. 22, 1949 2,631,578 Laughlin Mar.17, 1953 2,652,822 Griith Sept. 22, 1953 2,682,409 Irwin June 29, 19542,775,457 Galbos Dec. 25, 1956

